While no one looks forward to being involved in a personal injury lawsuit, keeping in mind some simple do's and don'ts should help to make your case as simple as possible.
* DO keep all appointments regarding your case, especially those with your lawyer and your doctor(s).
A missed diagnosis. A botched operation. Amputation of the wrong limb. It seems that horror stories like these appear on the news almost every day. Although most people who are sick or injured recover, a study has shown that at least 44,000 people, and perhaps as many as 98,000, die from mistakes made by their doctors every year. Because of the need to lower costs and to process patients more efficiently, some doctors feel pressured to reduce testing and treatment in the name of cost savings.
It may surprise you to learn that one of the most dangerous home appliances you own may be your clothes dryer. It is estimated that dryers are responsible for over 15,000 fires every year--fires that cause millions of dollars in property damage and over 300 injuries and 10 deaths each year!
The primary cause of dryer fires is the failure to clean the lint trap regularly. In order to work, dryers use a tremendous amount of heat, and a build-up of lint provides perfect tinder for a potential fire. People sometimes allow dryer vents to become blocked, which permits excessive heat to build up inside the dryer. Also, people dry items (such as plastic shoes or rugs with foam backing) made of materials that can melt or catch fire if heated in a dryer.
Every year, tens of thousands of people are injured in animal attacks. Although most victims are not seriously hurt, some are, and a number are even killed. The following information will answer some of the more frequently asked questions about such injuries.
What Should I Do?
Over the past century, the world has seen a number of industrial advances that have improved both the length of our lives and our standard of living. Unfortunately, an unintended byproduct of these industrial advances has been the increasing number of dangerous and toxic substances polluting the environment.
Although many people recognize the names of some of the most famous (or infamous) disasters such as Love Canal or Three Mile Island, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of sites all over the United States that are too contaminated with toxins to be used, and which await cleanup by the Environmental Protection Agency. Perhaps you unknowingly live near one of these contaminated sites.
We have all heard that "haste makes waste," but this may not be true when you have been injured. Whether your injury was caused by an animal attack, a car accident, or a defective product, you should contact our firm as soon as possible. One reason for this is that your injury starts the ticking of a legal clock, known as the "statute of limitations." A good New York Injury Attorneys can help you protect your rights within the proper time period.
A statute of limitations is nothing more than a legal rule that limits how long you may wait before bringing a claim against another person. If you do not make your claim before the statute of limitations passes, the law may prevent you from ever doing so.
Construction workers have one of the most dangerous occupations, with thousands of people killed on jobsites every year and many more injured. Some of the most common construction accidents involve scaffolds or other types of lifts. These accidents can be very serious and usually result either from falls due to defective scaffolding or from objects plummeting from scaffolding that injure a worker below. Moreover there are special laws that protect scaffold and construction injuries. That's why its important to have a New York Injury Attorney who handles this type of case.
Many people think that common sense dictates what is to be done after an auto accident. Maybe so, but our common sense can desert us under stress. It is a good idea to keep this simple checklist in your car with your other important papers (registration, etc.).
* Get help for anyone injured.
* Call the police if someone is injured or killed, if a vehicle can't be moved, or if the accident involved a hit-and-run driver.
Continue reading "After You Have an Auto Accident in New York Call An Injury Attorney" »
A debate rages in the country today: Is there a "lawsuit crisis" and, if so, what does it cost? Those who claim that there is a crisis often cite a report from consulting firm Tillinghast-Towers Perrin (TTP) claiming that lawsuits cost the country $246 billion a year. The problem with this "fact" is that the numbers just don't add up.
A group of respected economists hired by a nonpartisan think tank found that the conclusion from the TTP report was "one-sided" and "misleading." Their study shows that the actual "costs" of lawsuits are less than one-third of the amount claimed. The TTP numbers were inflated by including things such as the insurance industry's administrative expenses (which would be paid even if no lawsuits were filed) and payments on insurance claims. The economists fault TTP for using data that cannot be verified, because the authors claim their calculations are secret. These economists reject the claim that all Americans pay a "tort tax" as "indefensible."
If you or someone you know has been injured in a rollover accident involving an SUV, take the following steps immediately:
1. Take pictures of the location of the accident and of the roadway, showing the layout of the road and any tire marks or scrapes.
Continue reading "What to do if you are injured after a SUV rollover in NewYork City" »
If you are injured by an animal attack, who pays?
Usually, it is the insurance policy covering the owner of the animal and/or the property where the attack occurred. Most homeowner's policies will cover injuries caused by the homeowner's pets, and some homeowners even carry special animal insurance coverage.That's when an experienced New York Personal Injury Attorney can help. You need to decide how to get the injured person covered for his/her damages.
HERE'S WHAT A NEW YORK INJURY ATTORNEY AT OUR FIRM CAN DO FOR YOU
1. Evaluate any bodily injury claim to determine the amount of money to which you are entitled.
2. Help you with the property damage portion of your claim.
Continue reading "How a New York Injury Lawyer protects your rights in New York auto accidents" »
